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Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy

The goal of this policy is to prevent discrimination and to promote equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion for all members of the Lesley University Community. The policy applies to all current and prospective faculty, students, and staff.

Lesley University strictly prohibits discrimination in admission to, access to, participation in, or employment in its programs and activities on the basis of:

A manager is anyone who supervises one or more employees or whose job duties include management responsibilities.

Lesley managers and employees are required to act in furtherance of the university’s commitment to equal opportunity, affirmative action, and inclusion.

It’s their responsibility to ensure that all personnel actions and all educational programs and activities are administered in conformity with this Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy, as well as the Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Violence Policy.

Personnel actions include, but are not limited to:

Recruiting, hiring, promotion, and upgrades

Compensation & benefits

Transfers, terminations, or layoffs

University-sponsored training

Tuition benefits

Grievance procedures

And social and recreational programs

Managers are also required to make good faith efforts to achieve Lesley’s affirmative action and inclusion goals. However, preferences based on race, gender, or other personal characteristics are prohibited.

Good faith efforts to achieve affirmative action and inclusion goals include outreach and recruitment initiatives to broaden the pools of qualified candidates from which employment decisions are made to include underrepresented populations.

Employees, students, or applicants for employment or admission who believe they have been discriminated against in the employment or admissions process may contact the Human Resources Office at 617.349.8785 or hr@lesley.edu, or the Dean of Students/Interim Title IX Coordinator at 617-349-8539 or dsa@lesley.edu.

Retaliation is prohibited. At no time will employees, students, or applicants for employment or admission be subject to discipline or have their opportunities for admission or employment adversely affected by exercising their rights pursuant to this Policy.

Furthermore, employees, students, and applicants for admissions or employment shall not be subject to harassment, intimidation, threats, coercion, or discrimination because they have engaged in, or may engage in, any of the following activities:

1. Filing a complaint in good faith through the Lesley University Complaint Resolution Procedure for resolution of harassment and discrimination complaints or pursuant to any federal or state law;

2. Assisting or participating in good faith in an investigation, compliance review, or any other related activity; or

3. Engaging in any activity protected by law.

If an employee is found responsible for retaliation, that employee will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from employment at Lesley.

Lesley invites any employee, student, or any applicant for employment or admission to review Lesley’s written Affirmative Action Plan.

The Affirmative Action Plan is available for review upon request, Monday–Friday, 9:00 am–5:00 pm, in the Human Resources Office (617.349.8785 or hr@lesley.edu). Questions regarding these and other equal opportunity policies should be directed to Human Resources.

Additionally, inquiries regarding this Equal Opportunity and Inclusion Policy may be directed to the Dean of Students/Interim Title IX Coordinator at 617.349.8539 or dsa@lesley.edu.